Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Criciuma

For one person, living is cheaper in Criciuma: $711 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Criciuma, Brazil
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Criciuma
🇧🇷 Brazil
$711
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Criciuma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Criciuma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $711 in Criciuma.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Criciuma $711

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,060 in Criciuma.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Criciuma $1,060

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,410 in Criciuma.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Criciuma $1,410

Living in Phuket is roughly 82% more expensive than in Criciuma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Criciuma 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$5.38 R$29.53
-18.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,090
$20.36 R$112
58.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿294
$5.48 R$30.07
58.76%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.9
$1.23 R$6.75
121.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.38
$1.04 R$5.71
-10.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.85
$0.68 R$3.73
-26.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.4
$1.50 R$8.24
68.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$1.83 R$10.02
98.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.7
$0.84 R$4.62
107.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.35 R$7.43
7.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$1.02 R$5.61
47.06%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.3
$1.90 R$10.42
14.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿644
$7.59 R$41.68
151.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿115
$3.38 R$18.55
0.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿368
$8.00 R$43.88
36.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿99.2
$1.96 R$10.78
50.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.08 R$5.95
56.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿74.0
$0.94 R$5.18
132.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.6
$1.48 R$8.15
43.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.19
$1.15 R$6.33
26.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿46.14
$1.03 R$5.66
33.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.29
$0.74 R$4.06
45.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.40
$0.61 R$3.33
-9.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.35 R$12.88
88.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿616
$4.38 R$24.05
316.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.8
$1.08 R$5.94
63.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿97.2
$1.33 R$7.32
116.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.95 R$5.19
52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,851
$36.40 R$200
50.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.45 R$2.49
235.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.17
$0.72 R$3.97
8.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$2.27 R$12.43
69.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.2
$1.22 R$6.68
22.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿906.7K
$21.7K R$119.1K
23.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿888.6K
$28.5K R$156.3K
-7.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,299
$66.5 R$365
47.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿381
$11.38 R$62.5
-0.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿580
$20.08 R$110
-14.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,305
$26.76 R$147
155.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿368
$37.06 R$203
-70.53%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿251
$6.77 R$37.14
9.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.9K
$154 R$846
244.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿633.5K
$2,747 R$15.1K
583.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,080
$46.99 R$258
31.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿953
$27.95 R$153
1.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,238
$75.9 R$417
26.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,928
$40.62 R$223
113.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.3K
$222 R$1,216
225.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.2K
$192 R$1,054
164.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.8K
$378 R$2,075
415.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.1K
$248 R$1,362
462.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿141.4K
$1,096 R$6,015
282.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿111.3K
$594 R$3,261
455.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Criciuma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.6K
$288 R$1,580
70.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10.74
-48.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Criciuma
$192 62.2% $317
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Criciuma
$157 41% $109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Criciuma
$98 22.4% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Criciuma
$86 29.8% $37
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Criciuma
$92 22.8% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Criciuma
$40 51.6% $43
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Criciuma
$44 33% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $20 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $157 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇧🇷 Criciuma
🕒 Local time
10:35 10:35 AM
00:35 12:35 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
214,493
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Criciuma 15,920 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Criciuma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Phuket vs Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Criciuma cheaper than Phuket?
Criciuma is about 45% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Criciuma?
Average pay runs 71% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Criciuma?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 34% less than in Phuket. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $154 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Criciuma?
At $711 in Criciuma versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Criciuma?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?